The Wolf, the Butterfly, and the Kraken

Chapter 17

Lord Eureces
I shook my head with a smile, "Joann of Eyers, lady of the red moon and green scythes clan, some young Veneran fool missed out immensely when you took a Lycant for a husband, but the entire empire just might benefit."
The water was cool, but I answered every question honestly. I was tired of seeing bloodshed. She was right about how much we needed her. It would only be a matter of seasons before men who had not served in a handful of years would be called upon to fight. They would leave their fields and shops, pick up their weapons, and lay down their lives. It had to end sometime.
I knew my intentions were true. The others, however, I could not answer for. Officer Ramus often taught at the Academy. He was an exceptional aircrafter. I could tell he was excited at the prospect of teaching Oceanus. Was it for his own gain or notoriety, or the welfare of the nation? That I couldn't answer. He had always been vain and self centered. But he knew the numbers too. He had been in this from the start too. He had lost many pupils in the war with the Lycants.
Officer Divaren was another story. He had fought in the North. Men were tough up there. However, they viewed us as cheap imitations of themselves when it came to fighting. He was brand new to the Southern lines, and still had not faced off against a warrior. Encountering a farmer on the smaller size of their kind might just make him realize what he was fighting. I had seen men ripped apart. As far as I was concerned he was lucky to have his head still attached to his shoulders. If it had been my lady he had spoken to in such a way no one would have ever been able to find the body.
She was thinking how to phrase her next question. Finally she said, "Lord Eureces I will not lie to you. When we left it was under no small amount of duress. However, we are going to be allowed to return should Oshie learn to manage Oarhu and any other elements that might come his way. We- we want to be able to return. We have family there, and there are things we can only teach our son there. I know that Venera views Lycants as monsters, but there is a lot more to them than you know. A rich, beautiful culture. I want him to know that culture. Further I want him to be the one to show Lycants that Venerans aren't evil sorcerers. That we are also a great people with a beautiful culture. In order for us to return to our home our honor must not be besmirched. If it is in any way, shape, or form we will never see our small farm and family again."
I could feel her desperation at this. She actually ached for a return to this place. It was her home. I knew the feeling well. I had not been home in seasons. "You already miss their land?"
"Yes."
"Are you a loyal citizen of Venera or the Lycants?"
She was baffled. "Both. I was raised here. My mother is buried in this ground. My father shapes its metal. I am bonded to Isa. I have a new mother and a father, and a sister, and niece and nephews. I gave birth and was married on Lycant soil. I would never do anything to hurt either nation."
She did not want to take sides on the war. Perhaps that was for the best. To reach peace a person like her would be needed. Someone who stood for both sides would help an equitable peace be reached. But where would her husband stand?
He seemed to read my mind and said, "We vowed to protect each others family. To go back on that oath I would be better off dead. There are times in life when all you have is honor. To lose that is to lose yourself."

* * *
Lord Eureces was a good man. His intentions were honest, and mainly selfless. I was humbled to have been raised in a land guided along by his hand.
Officer Ramus had underlying intentions he was able to keep from me. However, when it came to the bargain of Oshies education for our service to ending the war he was solid on that. He very much disliked the war.
Officer Divaren was not afraid of us. That was fine. I did not seek fear, only respect. He dodged around subjects and finally I asked him flat out, "Will you give your word that you will not dishonor my family?"
He glared at me, "You mean more than you already have by even having a family with a Lycant? No, I won't dishonor your family."
I grinned at him and said, "I get it. You don't respect my personal choices. You aren't the first, and will not be the last. However, this is a yes or no question that I will not accept any hedging on. I need to know that you will not dishonor my family."
He was full of rage, burning hot and fiery through him like a forest fire. "Fine! Yes, I will give you my word not to dishonor your family."
My hand hurt, just being in the same water as his. He was shaking with rage. Everyone in the room could see it. No one spoke.
Except Vam, "Who do you mourn in your battlesong?"
"My wife! She was taken by one of you beasts and is probably dead now!"
"A raider. Did you know that even among us Lycants the raiders are not respected? It is only in more recent times that they have started raiding your shores. My father lost two sisters and a brother to raiders from one of the other clans. There have been many battles between clans to settle raids. These settled down, mostly, when raiders started seeking treasures from Venera."
"What do you know about what happens to the women who are taken?" he asked. "Could she be alive?"
"Very few are kept alive. What color was her hair?"
"Why would that matter?" He eyed me, missing my hair. "She had red hair."
I remembered a girl with red hair on the auction block. The priests and tailors had bid for a long time on her before the priests walked away with her.
Vam said nonchalantly, "It matters because certain types are kept for certain things."
"Like slaves?" he asked.
"She might be kept by a tailor, or a priest. Both highly value red hair."
"What do they do to them?" he was horrified, but had to know.
Vam shrugged, "I don't know much about the priests. I do have a friend who is a tailor though. He has wanted an elemental with red hair for a long time now. One of his friends who is a tailor has a red haired elemental that he keeps for hair. The elemental also helps clean the shop and such."
"A slave then?"
Vam said, "I am still not too certain about this word 'slave'. More like goat."
"Goat." Officer Devaren looked disgusted.
"Goats are family pets," I explained to the officer.
He looked sick, "Goats are pets that are turned into stew when they are no longer useful."
Vam nodded, "Yes. But not all Venerans are sold for meat if they are loved by the family."
This conversation was not going well and Vam did not seem to understand how awful he was making the situation by describing what the man's wife was, or possibly had, gone through. Officer Divaren looked like he was going to be sick. I felt badly for him, even though he hated me.
"Perhaps, Officer Divaren, I could try to find what happened to her if it would bring you a measure of comfort. Who knows? Maybe she is living with a tailor, or is cared for by a priest. I have some high ranking priest friends who might know."
He didn't take his eyes off the floor, "I need some air. I will not dishonor your family if you do not dishonor my country." Then he left.